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Miami
#41 of 124
North America

Miami

FL, United States

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Miami compare to Valencia?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Miami is 42% better off vs in Valencia

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Miami compared to Valencia, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$140,000
+$82K (+141%) vs Valencia
Based on 386 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$99,820
+$62K (+164%) vs Valencia
Tax Rate: 29%

Community Insights

New

Miami offers a polarizing but attractive proposition for software engineers. It is less of a traditional "career ladder" hub like San Francisco or Seattle and more of a lifestyle destination for established professionals. The data shows a solid median salary and favorable tax environment, ranking #39 for taxes, which appeals to high earners. However, the purchasing power rank (#41) and cost of living rank (#112) corroborate Reddit's sentiment that your dollar doesn't go as far as expected.

The tech scene is enthusiastic but niche-focused (crypto/AI) rather than broad-based. While the city ranks well for housing affordability relative to net income compared to global peers, locals frequently complain about rising rents in desirable tech-centric neighborhoods like Brickell.

Resident Sentiment

Sentiment is heavily divided between remote transplants and local hires. Transplants with external salaries often love the city, citing the "quality of life upgrade" and tax benefits.

Conversely, engineers relying on the local market express frustration, frequently calling the tech scene "hype-heavy" and complaining that salaries haven't caught up to the post-pandemic cost of living. There is a sense that Miami is a fantastic playground for the wealthy tech elite, but a struggle for the average individual contributor.

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to Valencia.

Rankings

Net Income

Top 13%

#16

of 124 cities

$99,820/yr

Current value

Community Events

Top 18%

#22

of 124 cities

9 events on luma

Current value

Home Affordability

Top 23%

#28

of 124 cities

≈4.2 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Miami compared to Valencia?

Avg. Property Price
$5,183 / m²
32% more expensive than Valencia
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Miami to maintain the same standard of living.

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Cost of Living
85% more expensive than Valencia
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Miami

Google logo
Google
American Express logo
American Express
UKG logo
UKG

The Good

  • Tax advantages: Lack of state income tax is a major draw, significantly boosting take-home pay for high earners compared to NYC or California.
  • Lifestyle and weather: Access to world-class beaches, nightlife, and a tropical climate is frequently cited as a top reason for moving, offering a "vacation-like" daily life.
  • Growing tech community: Specific niches like Web3, Crypto, and AI have a strong, enthusiastic presence with meetups like "Miami AI Hub" and "Latinas in Tech".
  • Networking culture: The social scene is described as vibrant and open, making it easier for founders and extroverted engineers to build connections compared to more reserved tech hubs.
  • Time zone alignment: Working in Eastern Standard Time (EST) is convenient for collaborating with teams in New York or Europe/LatAm.

The Bad

  • Salary-to-Cost-of-Living mismatch: A frequent complaint is that while rent and prices rival Tier 1 cities, local salaries often lag behind, making the city feel expensive for those without remote US-based pay.
  • Limited job market depth: Unlike SF or NYC, the volume of senior engineering roles and diverse tech opportunities is lower; residents report a "shallow" market for pure engineering (vs. sales/founder roles).
  • Traffic and infrastructure: Getting around is often described as frustrating due to heavy traffic and a public transit system that is less comprehensive than other major metros.
  • Weather extremes: While often sunny, the intense humidity, summer heat, and hurricane season anxiety are specific drawbacks mentioned by those not used to the tropics.
  • Transience: Some residents feel the tech scene is transient, with many people "passing through" rather than putting down long-term roots.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

Mid-to-senior level remote workers keeping a high salary from SF/NYC who want tax savings and a tropical lifestyle.

Founders and entrepreneurs looking for high-energy networking and access to specific capital in Web3/AI circles will also thrive here.

Socially active engineers who prioritize nightlife, weather, and dating over grinding LeetCode at a FAANG office are ideal matches.

Skip it if...

Junior developers relying on local companies for mentorship and career growth, as the market lacks the density of large engineering teams found elsewhere.

People who prefer a quiet, low-cost lifestyle or those who are highly sensitive to heat and humidity.

Engineers strictly looking for the highest possible purchasing power, as the cost of living here is high relative to the amenities provided compared to lower-cost tech hubs.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather3.1/10-64% vs Valencia
Safety47-28%
Pollution39+81%
Events9+9
3.1/10TechCities weather score vs 8.5/10 in Valencia

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
28°C(vs 22°C in Valencia)
Average Low
22°C(vs 13°C in Valencia)
Sunshine Hours
3,154h/yr+458h/yr(+17%)
Hottest Month High
32°C(vs 30°C in Valencia)
Coldest Month Low
17°C(vs 6°C in Valencia)
Rainy Days
126/yr+84/yr(+202%)

Community & Quality

Miami community pulse

Miami has 9 Luma events listed.

Valencia has no listed Luma events for comparison.

Tax Rate

Top 30%

#37

of 124 cities

29%

Current value (lower is better)

Purchasing Power

Top 33%

#41

of 124 cities

Pollution Score

Middle of the pack

#46

of 124 cities

39.4/100

Current value (lower is better)

Safety Index

Bottom 31%

#87

of 124 cities

46.7/100

Current value

Comfortable Weather

Bottom 24%

#95

of 124 cities

31/100 weather score

Current value

Cost of Living

Bottom 11%

#112

of 124 cities

75/100

Current value (lower is better)

SWE Affordability
4.2 years
4.2 years quicker than Valencia
Muggy Days
248/yr+179/yr(+257%)
Cloud Cover
46%(vs 35% in Valencia)